A temporary article series was formed about two months ago called The Future 40, and the next edition is here! The segment has and will continue to run every other day until late April as we provide you with in-depth scouting reports of some 2010 NFL Draft prospects, giving you information key to understanding some of the players’ strengths, weaknesses, projected round of selection, possibility of being picked by the Eagles, and much more! And because the Draft is an important event for the entire league, some of the top-ranked players not expected to go to Philadelphia will also be reported on. This time around, we took a look at Nate Allen:

• Prospect Name: Nate Allen
• Position: Free Safety
• College: University of South Florida
• Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 207 pounds
• Age: 22 years
• Class Status: Senior

Summary: There are plenty of obstacles and derailing moments that have occurred in Nate Allen’s football career thus far that probably would have been demoralizing and career enders for other guys. A quarterback at Cape Coral High School in Florida, he was rarely mentioned among the top recruits for the NCAA, and was offered playing time by only a few colleges (most of which are not considered to be among the notable teams in the league). He ultimately opted to attend the University of South Florida, and even there he received a good deal of initial doubts from the fan base and media outlets covering the Bulls. In his freshman campaign of 2006, Allen–who was converted to the defensive side of the ball because of his physicality and larger body frame–saw limited action on the field as a backup and special teams player. His opportunities were cut even shorter in his first collegiate season, as he missed several games with a quadriceps injury. However, the departure of veteran players on the team and his glimpses of dominance in the offseason leading up to his sophomore year landed Allen with a role in the starting lineup. He clearly did not let the staff down, and wound up being one of the squad’s best overall players; he recorded 55 solo tackles and also notched four interceptions and a touchdown while garnering awards every now and then, such as the Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honor. The following season, Allen’s tackle total dropped quite a bit, but he was used in a variety of new defensive schemes in which he would also be responsible for some pass rushing and man coverage assignments. Ending the year with one forced fumble and interception each and 53 tackles, the education major was projected to improve his leadership and statistics in ‘09, his fourth and final season with South Florida. He did just that, notching an impressive five interceptions and solidifying a place in his team’s history as one of the best all-time defenders. Though not as flashy and highly-touted as other safeties such as Eric Berry, Earl Thomas, and Taylor Mays, Allen figures to be selected within the first two rounds of the Draft and provide whichever professional team he goes to with a reliable defensive back capable of a lengthy, successful career.

Career Statistics:

Notable Achievements/Awards:

• All-Big-East Honors (2009)
• Big-East Defensive Honor Roll member (2009)
• Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week honor (2009)

Strengths:

• Is an experienced starter who played three seasons as a leading safety
• Has quality size and physical bulk for a player at his position
• Locates good angles/points of attack against running plays
• Is a reliable tackler who rarely fails to bring the ball-carrier to the ground
• Has underrated speed and explosive capabilities
• Naturally plays at the free safety spot but has the instincts to play in a situational “centerfield safety” role or at the strong safety position
• Can play in man coverage very well and has a solid, smooth backpedaling technique while guarding opposing receivers
• Possesses good grip and awareness of the ball
• Is a consistently productive defender who can change a game’s outcome with big plays
• Has excellent leadership qualities and has proven to be a vocal captain of the defensive units he has played with

Weaknesses:

• Sometimes struggles to contain speedy receivers or elite runners with high levels of agility or quickness
• Doesn’t have the aggressive edge/hitting ability in the middle of the field that many other safeties do
• Is not likely to get much better than how well he is now; probably will not blossom into a new level of performance
• Can fall behind in plays that require a long pursuit of a ball-carrier or receiver

Projected Round of Selection: 2nd round

NFL Player Comparison: Eric Weddle, San Diego Chargers

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We hope that everyone enjoyed the 35th report for The Future 40 prospect segment, and urge you to keep checking back for more scouting analysis as the series continues all the way up until the Draft! Also, remember that we will happily take and consider requests from our fans for this series!

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